System and method for customizing an interface related to accessing, manipulating and viewing internet and non-internet related information

ABSTRACT

A system and method are disclosed for accessing, generating, presenting and manipulating Internet and non-Internet related information, data and content, including information netcast over the Internet. The system is also capable of controlling operatively connected, privately networked devices. A number of graphical user interfaces are utilized to facilitate user access, manipulation and control of information, data and content and networked devices. Some of the graphical user interfaces are time and topic oriented, are customizable by the user, and allow for the manipulation of information, data, content and operatively connected networked devices from the graphical interfaces themselves. The system is preferably enhanced through the use of an intelligent, dynamically updated user profile that is fully integrated with the system.

RELATED INFORMATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/274,975, filed Oct. 22, 2002, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FORCUSTOMIZING AN INTERFACE RELATED TO ACCESSING, MANIPULATING AND VIEWINGINTERNET AND NON-INTERNET RELATED INFORMATION,” which is a division ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/287,260 filed Apr. 7, 1999, entitled“SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING, MANIPULATING AND VIEWING INTERNET ANDNON-INTERNET RELATED INFORMATION AND FOR CONTROLLING NETWORKED DEVICES,”the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an interactive software program forproviding access to data on or off the Internet, and more particularly,to a software program which allows users to access, generate, presentand manipulate an active presentation of sites, sources and servicesrelated to the Internet and Internet related technologies and to controlprivately networked devices. This access, manipulation and displaying isfacilitated by use of a variety of graphical interfaces, one of which isa time and topic oriented program guide which displays and organizesInternet and non-Internet related broadcasts, information, data andcontent.

2. Background

The use of the Internet and the World Wide Web (the “Web”) is continuingto expand at an exponential rate. Indeed, content is continuously addedto and otherwise made available to users, new users are logging on everyday to search and view this information, and new systems are beingdeveloped and linked to the Internet to take advantage of thisinformation and content. As a result, the already vast and diverse typesof information residing on the Web grow larger every day.

Today, accessing this vast storehouse of information is accomplishedthrough the use of Web browsers which provide user-friendly graphicaluser interfaces by which everyday users may access and manipulateinformation on the Web. A browser functions on a point-to-point basis bycontacting a web site and obtaining information from the site in theform of web page. This information is retrieved through the use of oneor more search engines which attempt to identify, obtain and organizewhat is likely to be the most relevant information requested by the useron a specific the topic, based on the user's specific inquiry and searchparameters.

Retrieved web pages often contain hypertext or hypermedia links by whichusers can access related textual and audio, video, graphic animation andother active content, respectively. The presentation of graphical andaudio active content on the Web is very recent development. Other recentdevelopments include the proliferation of “push” and “netcasting”technology. Push technology allows users who subscribe to a push serviceto receive periodic updates of predetermined, user-designatedinformation of interest to the user. The service software makesautomatic, periodic queries to sites containing information relevant tothe user's requests, to see if there exists new, pertinent informationon the subscribed to topics. If so, the service “pulls” the newinformation from the remote site and “pushes” it onto the user'scomputer or other display.

“Netcasting” or “webcasting,” on the other hand, is an alternative totraditional Web browsing. Unlike browsing, where users go out on the Weband search for information, netcasting information may be broadcast overthe Internet by a single host such that the data can be received bymultiple recipients over one or more “multicast channels.” A userwishing to receive a netcast simply tunes into the proper digitalchannel. Thus, a user's computer acts like a television or radioreceiver. This technology not only has the potential to turn theInternet into a mass-distribution channel for digital information on thesame scale as broadcast television, but also to facilitate theinteraction between the Internet and various types of private networksystems and devices.

One major disadvantage of the current browser system is high networktraffic over the Internet resulting from the combination of numerous andrepeated site-to-site user information requests and the downloading ofrequested information. Other disadvantages are that all too often, theinformation retrieved is not responsive to the user's request and notorganized in a user-friendly format. Yet another disadvantage arisesfrom the inability of current browsers to permit users to access,present and manipulate traditional web-based information and the morerecent push and netcast information, either separately or incombination. In other words, the current browser system for accessingthe Internet is ill-equipped to identify, access, manipulate and displaytraditional Web-based information and the distribution of Internet andnon-Internet programming over digital Internet channels. Further, thecurrent browser system is equally ill-equipped to control privatelynetworked devices. Thus, various drawbacks exist with the currentapproaches and other known techniques and methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks ofprior approaches.

Another object of the invention is to provide one or more graphical userinterfaces (“GUI”) by which users can identify, access, manipulate andview Internet related information, events and services, where suchgraphical interfaces may be tailored according to a user's preferences.

Another object of the invention is to automatically, or upon a user'sspecific request, access and store hyperlink and hypermedia informationwithout displaying the related links, Web pages or content.

Another object of the invention is to display information retrieved fromthe Web in various user-friendly formats as a comprehensive, organizedwhole.

It is a further object of the invention to create continuously updateduser profiles based on a user's Web and non-Web related activities.

It is a further object of the invention is to identify, access, retrieveand store information and events taking place on the Web based on auser's profile, either automatically or in response to a user's specificcommand.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide for the updates of Websites based on a user's continuously updated profile, and to alert theuser when such updates occur and to provide summary informationregarding the updates.

Yet another object of the invention is to allow users to continue anInternet or off-line session where the user left last off.

Yet another object of the invention is to scan the Internet fornetcasted programming and other information and events and to displaysuch information and events in a user-friendly, time oriented GUI.

It is yet another object of the invention to allow for the downloadingof past, present or future Web and non-Web related information, contentand events by means of a user-friendly GUI, either automatically or inresponse to a user's specific command.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the access, retrievaland storage of summary or detailed information on the Web for selectedobjects by merely “highlighting” the objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system and method bywhich Web and non-Web related information, content and events areintegrated with television, cable radio and other broadcast programming,information or data.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system and method bywhich Web and non-Web related information, content and data may beaccessed and manipulated by one or more networked devices utilizing thesame system and method, where those devices can be used to control othernetworked devices.

These and other objects of the invention are carried out, alone or invarious combinations, according to various embodiments of the inventiondetailed herein.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a standardized yetmodifiable GUI is presented in the form of a grid which illustrates andprovides instant and easy access to numerous applications and functions.The grid may be based on graphical icons text, sound or any combinationthereof. According to one preferred embodiment the standardized GUI gridis touch sensitive and voice activated and responsive.

According to one embodiment, application which is activated by the gridis a GUI presented in the form of a Web Program Guide (“WPG”). The WPGdisplays Web netcasts, non-Web related broadcasts and other events andinformation (collectively “net programming”) in a grid-like scheduledisplayed according to, among other things, net and broadcast channels,and the time of broadcast. The GUI allows a user to move forward orbackward in time to display prior, current and future net programming. Auser can also obtain information related to the programming, such assummaries of a selected program's topic or content. In another preferredembodiment, the system allows for the one-step downloading and storageof a net program by simply highlighting the net program in the WPG.Alternatively, a user can schedule future downloads by time, netprogram, general topic, or user profile.

Program guides similar in nature to the WPG are available for televisionand cable broadcasts and radio broadcasts, individually. Alternatively,these information and content guides can be combined and viewed as anorganized and comprehensive guide displaying all broadcasts,information, data and content available on any individual guide. Whereappropriate the individual and comprehensive guides in a time and topicoriented format.

Another feature of the present invention is the ability of the system tocreate user-specific profiles for multiple users based on their Web andnon-Web related activities. The profiles are continuously updated andevaluated. The system may use a user's profile to notify the user offorthcoming Web and non-Web events, broadcasts or other informationdeemed by the system to be pertinent to the user's interests. Using thisprofile, for example, the system can update the WPG with net programmingof which the user is unaware but which is likely to be of interest tothe user. Preferably, the system downloads such programming forsubsequent off-line viewing.

Still another feature of the present invention is the use of a user'sprofile to identify and notify a user when Web sites of interest havebeen modified in a way related to the interests specified by theprofile. In one preferred embodiment, the system provides summaryinformation of the modification so that the user can readily evaluatewhether the change is of import.

According to another embodiment of the present invention the systemidentifies and downloads related hypertext and hypermedia links found inthe Web page being viewed by the user, including Web pages linked to thefirst and higher tier pages. Preferably, this downloading takes place inthe “background” and is transparent to the user. Alternatively, thesystem might automatically download all links within a domain only. Or,the user can specify the number of related links which the system willidentify and download. Further, the system automatically terminates anInternet connection after downloaded is complete. In addition, accordingto yet another embodiment, the downloaded information is displayed as acomprehensive whole in a manner prescribed by the user, such as pages ina book, file card format or any other manner.

Yet, another feature of the invention allows the user to continue anInternet or off-line session at the Web page, document or content theuser last viewed prior to terminating the previous session. This may beaccomplished regardless of whether the Web page, document or content isstored on the system or whether the system must connect to the Internetto display the information.

According to one preferred embodiment, the grid and guide driven systemis integrated and networked with devices such as home or officeappliances and products such that Internet access and communications canbe initiated and maintained from and through these devices and such thatthe devices can be controlled from various locations.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from a reading of the Detailed Descriptionof the Preferred Embodiments presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a general depiction of a computer network system in which thepresent invention may operate.

FIG. 2 depicts a specific example of a client server architecture bywhich the present invention may operate.

FIG. 3 depicts one graphical user interface (GUI) according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a Web page and a window containing a session logaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a GUI according to one embodiment of the presentinvention which illustrates a Web-based program guide.

FIG. 6 illustrates a computer and communications network systemimplementing a webcast transmission.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the steps by which an intelligentuser profile according to the present invention is generated andimplemented.

FIG. 8 depicts a window of the system containing a log of all Web sitesand other content stored in the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a comprehensive, integrated software tool whichprovides a user with the means for managing information and dataregardless of type, source or subject. Many of the elements of thesystem of the present invention are shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG.1, system 1 is shown to consist of a client 2 on which the guidesoftware application (Guide) 3 resides, having a central processing unit(CPU) 4, local memory 5, communications interface 6, and input/outputinterface 7. The implementation of the present invention is primarilyapplicable in a client-server architecture, although in certain aspectsof the invention there is no server which interacts with the client.Client 2 may be any device with a CPU and other components capable ofrunning the Guide such as, but not limited to, a computer or televisionset-top box. For example, client 2 may be a personal communicationsdevice such as a digital phone or even a refrigerator. For purposes ofthis discussion, however, unless noted otherwise, it will be assumedthat the client is a personal computer which may or may not be connectedto a private network such as an intranet or extranet. The local memoryincludes any storage medium such as, but not limited to, a computer harddrive, random access memory (RAM), compact disc read only memory(CD-ROM), digital video disc (DVD), magnetic disk, cache or similarstorage media. The input/output interface includes any device orinterface capable of providing interaction with the client such as, butnot limited to, a keyboard, keypad, mouse or even a voice recognitioninterface.

As shown in FIG. 1, client 2 may be connected to information network 8directly or through communications network 9. Communications network 9encompasses any communication network capable of interacting with andproviding at least one-way communications where appropriate with anysubset of information network 8, including but not limited to theInternet 10, any private computer network 11, any broadcasting network12 whether it be television, cable or satellite based or radiobroadcasting network 13. Client 2 in FIG. 1 also contains communicationsinterface 6 which provides for communications internal to the clientbetween the Guide software application 3, CPU 4, memory 5 and othercomponents internal or operatively connected to client 2. A morespecific illustration of the interaction between client 2 and one ormore of the subsets of the information network 8 is shown in FIG. 2.Such interaction is generally accomplished by way of Guide queries 12for data sent by the client 2 through communication network 9 to aremote server 13 resident on a remote network, in the example of FIG. 2,a server for an Internet Web Site 14. Information, data or other contentis received by client 2 by way of one or more Web server downloads 15.

FIG. 3 depicts a grid graphical user interface (GUI) 16 of the Guideaccording to one embodiment of the invention. GUI 16 and the Guide ingeneral may be activated and displayed instantly or relatively so on adisplay for client 2 as soon as the client has been turned on in thosecases where the client is originally off. Further, according to oneembodiment, any and all startup applications which may be resident onthe client may be loaded and initialized in the background while GUI 16and the Guide in general are shown.

Referring to FIG. 3, a GUI grid 16 is shown according to one preferredembodiment with graphical icons representing various subjects, groupingsand labels of information. Preferably, it is by GUI 16 that the systemorganizes the information, and applications contained in the Guide. Icon17 of gird 16, labeled “Last Internet Session: Joe,” for example,indicates the date of the last Guide session during which a userinteracted with Internet network 10. As shown in FIG. 4, selecting icon17, by any of the input methods discussed above, causes the Guide todisplay, for example, the last Web page 18 on a particular Web site thatwas displayed prior to the end of the previous session. Preferably, icon17 will be modified by the Guide to indicate the type of content a useraccessed at the end of the previous session. For example, if the userwas last viewing a document off-line prior to signing off on theprevious session, the icon would be modified to indicate this in somefashion.

Also displayed in FIG. 4 is a window 19 listing the Web pages or files20 that were used during the previous session. Selecting any one ofthese listings causes that Web page or file content to be displayed.Preferably, grid 16 also contains icons for Guide based objects such as“e-mail” 21, software applications resident on the client but externalto the Guide, such as Microsoft Word™ 22 or any other application orcontent. Selecting any of these icons activates the specific applicationor content. A user may modify grid 16 to either display multiple iconsfor a specific subject where each icon corresponds to a distinct user,or instead an entire grid may created to correspond to a distinct user.

According to one preferred embodiment, whenever the Guide is connectedto the Internet and accessing a Web page, the Guide automatically, orupon a user's specific request, accesses, downloads and stores Web pagesor any other content linked to the current Web page, whether through atextual or graphical hypertext or hypermedia link. This access,downloading and storing process includes all identification and uniformresource locator (URL) information for the related links. The access,download and storing process is preferably accomplished in thebackground although some type of indicator may show that the process isongoing or completed.

The number of linked Web pages and sites which may be accessed,downloaded and stored by the Guide may be determined in a variety ofways. According to one preferred method, the Guide is capable ofaccessing, downloading and storing all linked Web pages or other contentwithin a specific Web domain only. After such a download and store arecomplete, the Guide goes off-line automatically, thereby decreasingInternet traffic and facilitating viewing of the downloaded material.For example, if a user desiring to read today's news accesses the homepage for the Washington Post online newspaper, the Guide, according tothe embodiment described above will access, download and store on theuser's client all related hypertext and hypermedia links andcorresponding content which reside on one or more servers within the Webdomain for the Washington Post. In this way, the Guide downloads andstores one day's entire online newspaper without also downloadingunrelated content from another domain.

For example, the home page of the online Washington Post may have on ita graphical link to an advertiser's Web domain, such as a link forMastercard™ or Charles Schwab™. The Guide's intelligent downloadingprocess, however, will only access, download and store links to or fromthe Washington Post's home page that are found and reside within thenewspaper's domain, regardless on whether the content is located on oneor more servers within that domain. Thus, when the Guide automaticallygoes off-line, the user can view and read the content of that day'sWashington Post without unrelated, extraneous content. This downloadedcontent may them be displayed, viewed and manipulated in any number ofways. For example, the content of the newspaper can be displayed andviewed with pages being displayed side by side in ascending orderdivided by sections, mimicking real-life, hard copy newspapers, viewedas cascading pages or in any other format, such as through the use ofdrop-down menus, one or more windows, graphical or textual overlays, andvideo or audio output, either separately or in some combination thereof.

As an alternative to accessing, downloading and storing all linked Webpages or other content within a specific Web domain only, the Guide canaccess, download and store linked Web pages or other content where thelinks and content reside on one or more servers in one or more Webdomains. Additionally, the user may also specify the number of tiers orsuccessive links which the Guide will access, download and store, set ageneral default tier number for such actions or designate accessing,downloading and storage parameters differently for different Web sites.According to another embodiment of the invention, the accessing,downloading and storage process is implemented using a user's profile.Further, the Guide allows a user to access a Web site from one clientand download and store accessed information and content to anotherclient or remote site.

All of the above processes described above will typically occur whenevera user makes a new contact with an Internet Web site. Any and allInternet interaction is logged and stored by the Guide. Using such aninternal log, the Guide can recognize when a user is revisiting a Website previously accessed, downloaded and stored. Preferably, in suchcases, the Guide will scan the Web site and download and store new orrevised information, data or content only before going off-line. Thisnew information, data or content may or may not overwrite preexistinginformation, data or content.

Referring to FIG. 3, selection of icon 23 of grid 16, labeled“netcasting schedule” or some similar name, brings the user to a GUI 24shown FIG. 5 which displays a Web Programming Guide (“WPG”), a scheduleof netcasted programming broadcast over the Internet. FIG. 5 illustratesone possible layout for the WPG of the present invention. Information,data or programming “netcast” or “webcast” over the Internet isinformation, data, programming or any content that is broadcast over theInternet generally from one or more host Web servers to one or moreclients. Such information may be either audio, video, data or anycombination thereof. Further, the information, data or programming mayoriginate from the Internet or from outside the Internet. FIG. 6illustrates this communication model wherein multiple user clients 25,26 and 27 receive webcast input from host Web site server 28 throughcommunications interface 29. Thus, webcast information and data may bereceived without the need for venturing onto the Web in search ofinformation. Instead, a client of the webcast based system acts like atelevision receiver. This information or data is preferably updateddynamically. Such information and data can include news, weather,sports, financial and other commercial or personal information contentprovided via audio or video streaming or some other means. Thewebcasting of such content or data can provide, for example, live newsbroadcasts, automatic software updates or updated stock quoteinformation. Such content may originate from a source external to theInternet. Such as external source object 30 in FIG. 6. According to apreferred embodiment of the present invention, however, webcastedinformation and data is received and organized automatically andcontinuously, without the need to subscribe to a host Web server or Websubscription service, and not in response to an initial Guide query asshown in FIG. 2. This is far superior to current applications that makeuse of webcast information and data where users must first subscribe toone or more host Web server services which either directly netcast orotherwise transmit such information and data over the Internet oraggregate such information for netcast.

Referring again to FIG. 3, selection of icon 32 of grid 16, labeled“communications control” will according to one preferred embodimentactivate a Web or non-Web linked telephone device. Preferably a displayof a standard phone-like representation will appear upon activationincluding but not limited to standard numbers, speed dial buttons,messaging and other control features. Using this display a user can dialand make outgoing calls. Incoming calls can also be received and willpreferably be accompanied by a caller-id overlay. According to onepreferred embodiment, a user may video conference with one or moreparties should he so desire, assuming that the other parties havecommunications systems with video capabilities. Preferably, the systemwill store all outgoing and incoming calls along with caller-id andother information. The communications control capabilities of thepresent invention are preferably integrated with icon 35 of grid 16labeled “emergency.” Activation of this icon by any means automaticallytriggers and activates the communications control subsystem of thepresent invention to send outgoing calls to user specified entities suchas the police, fire department, hospital or relatives.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the client 2 isconnected to and integrated with a private network 11 where the privatenetwork one with components consisting of various devices, appliancesand products found in a typical home or office, According to thisembodiment, devices and products such as telephones, refrigerators,exercise equipment and furniture are each equipped with a client 2capable of running and displaying the present invention. In this way, auser can use any and all of the functions of the present inventiondescribed herein from any such device, appliance or product. Preferably,these devices, appliances and products are themselves networked suchthat they can be controlled from any client and point to pointcommunications using the present invention is possible in a household,for example, without requiring an Internet connection. Control of suchdevices, appliances and products is accomplished according to oneembodiment by selection of icon 33 or grid 16 labeled “home/officecontrol panel.” Preferably, selecting icon 33 causes the display of aGUI with visual representations of a user's home, for example. Usinginput/output interface 7, a user can select the devices, appliances andproducts that the user seeks to control remotely. In this way, forexample, a user can select the lighting in a room and increase ordecrease the light levels as he chooses from another location. Accordingto one embodiment, specific devices which a user frequently manipulatesor adjusts can be given there own icon on grid 16. Icon 34 of grid 16,labeled “climate control,” is one such example. In this way, the simplyselection of icon 34 allows a user to directly access and manipulate theclimate control's of a person's home or office directly, without theneed to first access a comprehensive control layout. Further, usinginput/output interface 7, a user cam remotely access the system of thepresent invention and control devices, appliances and products fromanother client.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, thefunctionality of the Guide is enhanced by the creation, integration anduse of an intelligent, dynamic user-profile. According to thisembodiment, the user-profile creation and updating process is completelyautomated and does not require, for example, initial user-specific inputof profile parameters. The intelligent user profile, which resides onthe user's client, is generated and otherwise derived from anamalgamation of static and non-static data and sources. For example, thesystem monitors and tracks the user's Internet and Web relatedinteractions with foreign databases and information sources, compilesrelevant data from such interactions and updates the user's intelligentprofile accordingly. Although not required, the user may directly inputprofile parameters directly into the system thereby modifying orupdating the profile.

The intelligent profiling system and method also obtains information anddata used to enhance and otherwise add information to a user's profileby interacting with any local data storage, depending upon where theGuide application resides or is running. If, for example, the Guide isresident and being run on a stand alone computer, the system willautomatically scan the computer's local memory, such as the computer'shard drive, to determine what programs and applications are contained inmemory. The system will then automatically extract information from theprograms and applications, store the information and update the user'sprofile accordingly. For example, a user may use Intuit Corporation'sQuicken™ money management software to track his savings, investments,bills and other similar information. The Guide will scan, extract andcompile data and other information contained in the application andupdate the system's user's profile accordingly. Using the Quicken ™application example, the system may determine that the user has made anumber of purchases related to gardening as described in the ledger ofthe user's checking account or credit card purchases. The system willextract such information and update the user's intelligent profileaccordingly. In this way, the user's profile will contain parametersrelated to gardening, even though the user neither input such parametersdirectly nor interacted with a Web or non-Web based data source germaneto that topic. In a similar manner, the system might extract all of thestocks listed in the user's investment portfolio as tracked on Quicken™.As a further example, the user may have purchased an off-the-shelfsoftware application used for generating and tracking one's familyhistory in order to compile a family tree. The Guide will note thepresence of this application and update the user's system profile toinclude one or more parameters directed to and otherwise reflecting theuser's interest in genealogy. Then, when for example, the user isconnected to the Internet, the system may scan the Web and identifyand/or retrieve data and information on home gardening or Web sitesdevoted to genealogy. Similarly, the Guide might independently identify,select or record a webcast or television broadcast on this topic. TheGuide is fully integrated such that all pertinent aspects of the Guideare updated according to newly identified and obtained information.Thus, for example, a newly identified profile parameter for gardeningmight result in the identification and retrieval of a webcast on thetopic of gardening which will in turn be incorporated into the Guide'sWPG, or the identification and retrieval of a television cablebroadcasts on the topic of gardening which will in turn be incorporatedinto the Guide's EPG.

According to another aspect of the invention, a user's profile may beupdated and otherwise enhanced as a result of intelligent extrapolation.In this embodiment, the system analyzes profile parameters obtained frompast or prior Web interactions, user input and local storage data miningand extrapolates new parameters based on an intelligent analysis of oneor more preexisting parameters. In this way, the Guide acts in anintuitive manner to identify or retrieve information or data on topicswhich the system concludes the user is likely to be interested in, eventhough the user himself may not know that such topics or informationexists. The system analyzes the user's use of these extrapolated topicsand information and uses such interaction, or lack thereof, as feedback.In this way, the system can learn the user's preferences and better finetune its profiling function.

This intelligent profile can interact with Web based and non-Web basedapplications to facilitate a user's desired goal or enhance theprofiling aspects of a foreign Web site. For example, a user may visitthe on-line merchant Amazon.com's™ Web site for the first time to ordera specific book. After the user's first purchase, Amazon's Web sitesystem makes purchase recommendations for other books which the usermight enjoy. These recommendations are based on the book purchases ofothers who purchased the same book the user bought and demographicalcomparisons. Such comparison recommendations are inaccurate because theyare based on other individual's actions and seeming preferences and notthat of the purchaser. Preferably, however, the Guide's intelligentprofile will interact with Amazon's database and scan the database forthe names of books and corresponding abstracts to allow the Amazon Website to recommend books that more accurately reflect the user'spreferences. Notably, the information comprising the Guide's intelligentprofile resides on the client at all times such that none of the profileinformation can be captured or otherwise stored or downloaded by aforeign Web site. In this way, the user's profile parameters remainconfidential and secure.

The Guide is capable of creating, updating and maintaining multiple,distinct user profiles, such as for different members of a user'shousehold, in addition to a comprehensive user Guide profile derivedfrom the combination of these multiple, sub-profiles.

Referring to FIG. 5, the Guide allows a user to download and store ascheduled webcast or other broadcast transmission by direct use of theWPG. Using input/output interface 7, a user can simply select a gridcell in WPG 24 corresponding to the webcast, broadcast or othertransmission the user desires to record and store. According to oneembodiment of the invention, for example, a transmission such as webcastVictoria Secret Fashion Show 31 is selected by pointing to the grid cellcorresponding to that netcast transmission and, for example, clicking onthe cell using a mouse. As shown by the shading in FIG. 5, the grid cellwould preferably change its color to indicate that the transmission isscheduled for downloading and storage. Any number of transmissions maybe recorded using this one-step selection method. According to anotherembodiment of the invention, using for example, the right click of amouse a user could pull up a window by which the user could morespecifically designate desired actions regarding a WPG transmission.Such a window, may include commands to download the transmission once,or in the case of a periodic transmission such as a weekly broadcast,command the Guide to automatically download the transmission each week,no matter what time or digital channel the transmission is broadcast on.As a further example, the window could contain a command allowing forthe e-mailing or transmission of a downloaded program to another user.

Yet another aspect of the Guide is its ability to update any and allinformation contained in the Guide based on a user's intelligentprofile. FIG. 8 shows a window listing titles of current Web sites,pages and related documents stored in the Guide from all sessions. TheGuide automatically and periodically scans the Web sites from whichthese pages, documents and content originated and determines whetherthere have been any modification to the pages, documents or content.According to one embodiment of the present invention, this determinationis made based on a user's intelligent profile. Thus, only if the changecorresponds to one or more profile parameters will the page, document,information or data be updated. In the case of a Web page, for example,the Guide will automatically download the newly revised page for theuser's online or off-line viewing, but it will not overwrite theexisting page. In one embodiment of the invention, the Guide willhighlight the new or revised material in some manner, such as by ahighlighting color, underlining, bolding or some similar manner. Thismethod is much more efficient than other updating methods which updateinformation only if a user first joins a Web site updating subscriptionservice, which update information resulting from any change or revisionto a Web page however insignificant, such as the correction of atypographical error, or methods which update information only inresponse to an alert from the manager of a Web site.

Other embodiments, features and uses of the invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification,accompanying drawings and practice of the invention disclosed herein.Accordingly, the specification and examples set forth above should beconsidered exemplary only. The scope of the invention is limited only bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of identifying and providing access tocontent from public Internet sources and non-Internet informationsources; creating a user profile describing user preferences based onWeb activities and non-Web activities at a user computer, the userprofile being regularly updated based on the Web activities and thenon-Web activities; storing the user profile at the user computer;identifying content items available from public Internet sources andnon-Internet sources based on the stored user profile; and providing agraphical user interface listing the identified content items.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the non-'Web activities correspond toprograms and applications stored in local memory, and wherein said stepof creating a user profile based on the Web activities and the non-Webactivities comprises scanning the local memory to extract userpreferences based on said programs and applications.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the content items identified from the public Internetsources comprise Web page content.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thecontent items identified from the public Internet sources comprisescheduled Webcasts.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content itemsidentified from the non-Internet sources comprise scheduled television,cable, satellite, or radio broadcasts.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe content items identified from the non-Internet sources comprisecontent from a private intranet source.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising: storing a plurality of Web site content items that auser has previously accessed; scanning Internet locations correspondingto said stored plurality of Web site content items to identify new orrevised content according to the stored user profile; and downloadingthe new or revised content.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein aplurality of user profiles are created for a plurality of users, andwherein the step of identifying content items is performed for theplurality of users, thereby providing a graphical user interface listingthe identified content items for the plurality of users.
 9. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: accessing Web page content from a publicInternet source; and downloading a plurality of content items linked tosaid Web page content; wherein said step of downloading is performedaccording to the stored user profile.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereinsaid step of downloading is performed automatically.
 11. The method ofclaim 9, wherein said step of downloading is performed based on usercommand.
 12. A method of creating a user profile in a computerimplemented system, comprising: creating a user profile database forstoring user profile parameters; monitoring a user's interactions from auser computer with remote Web and non-Web related sources of content;scanning local memory of the user computer to examine local datasources; deriving the user profile parameters based on said monitoringand said scanning; and updating the user profile database.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the user profile parameters are used toidentify new content items of interest to the user.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the new content items comprise Web pages on theInternet.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the new content itemscomprise netcasts on the Internet.
 16. The method of claim 13, whereinthe new content items comprise non-Internet broadcast content.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the non-Internet broadcast content comprisestelevision, cable, satellite, or radio broadcast content.
 18. The methodof claim 13, wherein the new content items comprise content from privateintranet sources.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein a plurality ofsets of user profile parameters are derived for a plurality of users,each of the plurality of sets being derived according to activity ofthat user.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of sets ofuser profile parameters are used to identify new content items for therespective users.